[DeTomaso] Fresh Air retrofitting ?

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/28/08 11:20:36 PM, dtpantera at gmail.com writes:

> I heard that the early 71's had a fresh air inlet... Is this the same inlet 
> (or can) as the later Panteras came with?
> And would anyone know if the fresh air box found in the later Panteras can 
> be retrofitted to any year?
> Has anyone done this ???  any pictures?
> 
Don't know much about the early '71 fresh air system. The late heater/AC box 
with a fresh air intake behind the glove box using the std blower, is an 
integral part of the late heater/AC box up under the dash. For an early car, you'd 
need to pull the two-pod dash, swap the late heater/AC box and its controls 
into your early car, then adapt the late defroster outlets and hoses to the 
early style dash- or swap the whole late dash in. Boring the required hole in 
behind the glove box, then routing the big flex hose   would be vastly simpified 
by complete dash & glovebox removal.
An easier(?) way might be to bore two 2-1/4" OD holes down thru the bottom of 
the cowl and attach 90 degree adapters to the holes, with throttle valves 
attached to remote pull-rods. Position the adapters so they point the ram-air 
towards the driver's and passenger's waist area. This is best done with the dash 
off as things are really tight on the passenger side, although I did it with 
the dash in place and got lucky- everything fit and no flex hoses were needed. 
A 2-1/4" hole saw is the largest that will fit through the top of the cowl 
openings with the cast wiper grates removed. I did this mod on our '72L then 
wrote it up in your July '99 POCA Newsletter- and that's long enough ago that it 
is not available electronically. The volume of air inducted this way is not 
great but its far better than none at all on warm days when the A/C is (as usual) 
inoperative. FWIW, the dash comes out easily in an hour or so but figure on 
all day Saturday to return it to its mountings & having all wiring & hoses 
working. Good luck- J Deryke



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